By Abdulsalam Muhammad

KANO—Unknown gunmen have kidnapped the aged step-mother of a member of Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Ibrahim, demanding N50 million ransom.

Ibrahim, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Kano yesterday, said that the hoodlums abducted the woman on Sunday in Ririwai town, near the notorious Falgore Forest.

The Doguwa constituency representative said: “My step-mother, Hajiya Hafsat Abubakar, was in her room when they invaded the house and they had since opened communication with the family requested for N50 million ransom.”

Confirming the incident, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Muhammad Katsina, said that four suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.

He said: “We have arrested four persons in connection with the issue and they are helping our investigation. Their intention was to kidnap the member.”

He said that the command’s anti-kidnapping squad was already combing the Falgore forest to rescue the elderly woman, adding that the kidnappers were Fulani men engaged in cattle rustling.